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Ran (1985 – Blu-Ray)

“Don’t cry, its how the world is made. Men prefer sorrow over joy, suffering over peace”

I’ve been meaning to see Akira Kurosawa’s 1985 film ‘Ran’ for some time, in fact since I saw his previous film 1980’s ‘Kagemusha’ a good few years ago. They are very much companion pieces, both are epic tales of political intrigues and bloody wars between feuding Daimyo and their Samurai retainers during Japan’s Edo period. Also they both boast the brooding screen presence of Tatsuya Nakadai in the lead roles, who I’ve recently seen starring in Eureka! Film’s eye-popping restoration of Masaki Kobayashi’s 1962 Chanbara film ‘Harakiri’ (If you haven’t already, go get a copy so you can see what Blu-Ray is truly capable of!). The title ‘Ran’ roughly translates as ‘Turmoil’ or ‘Chaos’ (Both political and mental), as it chronicles how a great clan is torn apart when it’s aging patriarch Hidetora relinqishes his command to his three sons. Two of his sons scheme and betray him while he banishes his third and only loyal son, a series of events that lead him to madness. This is of course inspired by Shakespeare’s ‘King Lear’ just as Kurosawa’s 1957 film ‘Throne Of Blood’ had been inspired by Macbeth.

The Blu-Ray transfer is nice but not as striking as I imagine it could be, lacking detail and clarity, but this is made up for by a wealth of extras. Including Documentaries about Kurosawa and a featurette about Samurai including a reverential demonstration of a Katana being forged. The greatest aspect of ‘Ran’ is the cinematography and design with the three warring factions armours rendered in the three primary colours. This use of colour is used to stunning effect in the first battle scene as nearly all the colour is drained from the faces of the Samurai making them look like cadaverous walking dead This then magnifies the garish red rivers of blood staining the battlefield which is made even more harrowing by Kurosawa’s choice to play it silent save for Tōru Takemitsu haunting score. Mieko Harada steals the show as the deadly Lady Kaede who’s ruthless quest for vengeance drives the film. Of all the Kurosawa films I’ve seen so far (And I’ve only seen about third of his filmography) ‘Ran’ is his masterpiece, which the great Director himself described as “A series of human events viewed from heaven”.